Yorkshire Garden Centres appoints non-executive director as growth continues
Independent retail group Yorkshire Garden Centres has announced the appointment of Chris Francis as Non-Executive Director, effective 1 October 2026.
The appointment comes during a period of sustained growth and investment across Yorkshire Garden Centres seven locations. Recent key projects include the rollout of a brand-new Grass Hoppers play area at Otley, a refurbished Mezzanine Coffee Shop at Tong, and an expanded calendar of events across all sites.
Francis retired as Retail Director of Hillier in May 2025 and will bring extensive retail and operational experience to the board. The formal appointment follows a successful 12 month consultancy period supporting the wider leadership team.
Yorkshire Garden Centres Managing Director, Mark Farnsworth, said: “We are delighted to welcome Chris to the board, Chris has been a hugely positive influence on our business over the last 12 months as we have worked with him on a consultancy basis.
His retail background, industry knowledge and learnings from his time at Hillier will be a great addition to our board. We have really enjoyed working with Chris and know he will be a great fit with our wider team.”
Speaking on his appointment, Chris Francis said, “I’m delighted to be joining the Yorkshire Garden Centres Board as a Non-Executive Director, following a period of working closely with the leadership team. It has been a very positive experience working alongside such a highly professional and motivated team, particularly as they have navigated a period of rapid growth in a very short space of time.
I’m looking forward to bringing my knowledge and experience to the role and supporting the team as they continue to build on the success of the business and achieve their goals moving forward. I’m excited to be part of the next chapter of Yorkshire Garden Centres journey.”